Solar Energy? Wind Energy? Seaweed Energy! Seaweed is seen as only an annoyance when people are trying to enjoy a relaxing day at the beach. Its slimey and smelly and only ruins beautiful beach days. Despite all this, recent research has looked into using microalgae (seaweed) as a source for fuel. Researchers from Tel Aviv University are performing a study to find new ways to harvest and produce seaweed. Seaweed can be produced more rapidly than any land crop and there would be no valuable land wasted. The seaweed can be produced along coastlines. Although some many malicious side affects occur from an explosion of biomass on land, the researchers think that the biomass in a marine environment would actually solve existing environmental problems. While solving some problems, the use of seaweed for energy would reduce ecological footprints across the globe, therefore increasing the amount of nonrenewable energy sources. Also, there would be no degradation of natural ecosystems as seen with deforestation. This topic actually plays a role in my everyday life at home. I live right near the ocean on the south shore of Long Island. There is a water treatment plant that has been dumping sewage into the back bays of Long Island. The sewage creates massive algal blooms in the spring once the water is warm enough to support plant life. Right near my house, the seaweed amasses all spring and summer and does not move. At the end of the summer, there is a massive area of all seaweed about five feet deep. Because it sits there for so long, it begins to produce harmful toxins that are transmitted through the air. My whole town smells horrible with the correct wind, getting to the point that going outside is almost unbearable. The Army Corps of Engineers dredged Jones Inlet about four years ago hoping that it would help with the seaweed problem, although it only made it worse. They came back about eighteen months ago and have temporarily solved the problem-(we will see how well they did in only a couple weeks though). -Mike Gallagher

Just to the right and above the “Ball Park” is where the seaweed gets trapped. You can see how the area is almost shelled out and keeps the seaweed in. http://hugrealestate.com/Quickstart/ImageLib/Point_Lookout_Picture.jpg Source: American Friends of Tel Aviv University. "Is Seaweed the Future of Biofuel?." ScienceDaily, 5 Mar. 2012. Web. 13 Mar. 2012.